Most importantly for Greccio, this is where St Francis staged the world's very first nativity scene in a cave in the year 1223 as a way to spread the story of Christmas.

St. Francis’ meditations on the life of Christ led him to create the first-ever Nativity scene in Greccio, Italy, in 1223. ‘St. Francis at Greccio’ by Giotto, 1295 (photo: Public domain) ...

Greccio, Italy • Pope Francis on Sunday hailed Nativity scenes as “simple and admirable” signs of Christian faith and encouraged their placement in workplaces, schools and town squares as he ...

Vatican City, Jan 16, 2014 / 04:42 am The man in charge of constructing this year's nativity scene for the Vatican expressed his delight at giving to Pope Francis the nativity he designed, which ...

Pope Francis blesses a nativity scene during his weekly general audience, in the Pope Paul VI hall, at the Vatican, Wednesday, Dec. 5, 2018. (Credit: AP Photo/Andrew Medichini.) Listen ROME – In ...